“I can see why,” Julia replied. “She’s beautiful.”
“Thank you.” Mrs. Danberry turned her attention to the pipe. “Now. I must have this for my collection.”
Julia smiled and gazed down at the little girl who shyly shuffled her feet. “May Shonna have a lollipop?”
“Oh, yes, of course,” came the distracted reply.
Kneeling down, Julia said in her gentlest voice, “Hello, there. I love your dress. It’s very pretty.”
Shonna’s big blue eyes widened, and she shifted from one flowery shoe to the other.
“Would you like a lollipop? I have chocolate and strawberry, cotton candy and tropical punch.”
The little girl stuck two fingers in her mouth and nodded.
“You can pick any flavor you want.” Julia clasped her small, delicate hand and led her to the register, where she kept a glass canister full of sweets.
Shonna scrutinized every piece, and soon strands of midnight hair fell across her cheeks. With her coloring, she could’ve easily passed for Tristan’s child.
For the space of time unmeasured, Julia forgot to draw in a breath. What would it be like to have Tristan’s baby? To create a family with him? Her mind readily supplied the answer to both questions: heavenly. A slight moan grew in her throat as her mind threw out other questions: What kind of woman could win his heart? Would falling for Tristan be so bad?
Her stomach performed a slow flip as she pitted the joys of it against the ramifications. Bad? Oh, no. That word didn’t come close to describing such an occurrence. Wonderful and terrible? Close. Disastrous? Without a doubt. A relationship with him was doomed to fail and leave a trail of heartache—her heartache—in its wake.
“I have to tinkle, Grandma,” Shonna suddenly shouted, the sheer power of her lungs resounding from floor to ceiling.
Mrs. Danberry sent a beseeching look to Julia. “May she use your restroom, dear?”
“I’m so, so sorry, but it’s still broken.” She was going to pulverize her landlord, the miserly jerk. There wasn’t time for Tristan to play handyman—if he even knew what tools to use. He probably didn’t, Arcadian knowledge being so “advanced” and all. “There’s one next door.”
“Oh, gracious. Well, we’d best hurry. Shonna’s just out of diapers, you know.” Mrs. Danberry paid for the pipe and hustled her granddaughter toward the door. “I’ll see you soon, dear,” she said, waving. “Give that sexy man of yours a naughty kiss for me.” With a wink, she disappeared past the door, and Julia once again found herself alone with Tristan.
Just like that, her body perked up with a new surge of arousal. Time to finish her lessons. Before her resolve raced past the borders of no return, she squared her shoulders and marched to Tristan’s chair.
He sat upright, his back straight, but his eyes were closed.
“Tristan,” she said.
Slowly his eyelids opened. “Aye,” he said, his voice scratchy. Sexy.
Do not sink into the violet depths of his gaze. “I’m ready to learn how to flirt. Right here, right now.” The words tumbled from her mouth. “Will you please teach me?”
“Aye, I will teach you to play the wanton,” he said before muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, “You are almost making this too easy, my sweet.”
Too easy for what? “Are you ready to begin?” Best to get this over with as soon as possible. Oh, please. Who are you trying to fool? Anticipation hummed just below the surface of her skin. Anticipation for his attention, his kiss, his touch…and no other.
He regarded her intently, as if seeing her on a whole new level. As if seeing more of her than any other person had in…ever. “You wish to begin here? Now?”
“Now,” she confirmed and nodded.
He rose, his face blanking of all emotion, lending him an aura of mystery and resolution. He leaned one hip against the counter. The white T-shirt he wore hugged his biceps, outlining every ridge of muscle, and his bleached jeans rode low on his waist, the top button unsnapped. His gaze traveled the length of her.
“For what I have in mind, you’ll need a gown,” he said.
A wind of unease blew through her thoughts. “Why? What’s so important about a gown?”
“I will not tell you. I’ll only show you.”
Fine! “I have a skirt in back.” She always kept a spare set of clothing here in case of an emergency. “How about I change after our lesson, but before we go home?”
His brows winged in challenge. “As I am in charge during a lesson, you will do as I say, and I say you will change.”
Considering she’d issued a few orders of her own, she kind of owed him. “Fine.” She threw her hands in the air. “I’ll meet you in my office once I’m properly dressed.” She air quoted the word “properly.”
“Do you desire my aid at any point, simply call out, and I’ll come running.”
“Yeah, sure,” she said, her tone dry. She strode into the storage room, Tristan on her heels, and shut the door in his face, the last thing she saw his wicked grin. Her heart drummed erratically as she removed her pants. Even though she suspected foul play on Tristan’s part, she wiggled into a plain brown ankle-length skirt.
He was not in her office when she emerged. He was right where she’d left him.
“You better not try anything funny,” she told him as she led him to the office and dimmed the lights. “This isn’t a game, after all. Flirting is serious business.”
Looking completely at ease, he reclined in the swivel chair behind the desk. “Trust me, draga. I take my role as educator seriously.”
“Then you should know I learn best through oral instruction, not demonstration.”
“Good to know. I very much like your idea
